Just like a carbon footprint, every person, every business, and every product has a water footprint. “The water footprint of an individual, community or business is defined as the total volume of freshwater used to produce the goods and services consumed by the individual or community or produced by the business.” (Hoekstra, A.Y., Chapagain, A.K., Aldaya, M.M. and Mekonnen, M.M. …
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In 1986, the Town of Gilbert began storing treated wastewater in a pond at Cooper and Elliot roads. It did not surprise town officials that the pond attracted birds, but they were surprised by how many people the birds attracted. Unprepared for birdwatchers, the town fenced the pond. The lesson wasn’t lost on Gilbert officials. If a place to watch …
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Here’s one of the easiest ways you can save money and water: learn how to manage your irrigation controller. AMWUA cities’ conservation professionals continue to report that many homeowners, businesses, and HOAs irrigate their landscapes throughout the winter as if it were still 110 degrees outside. It’s such a waste because most desert-adapted plants can make it through the winter …
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Gardening can be a great way to relieve stress, grow your own food and even save some money on monthly groceries. So once you’ve decided to start growing your own garden, take a second to assess what you will need to start your project. Many times you’ll find out that growing a garden requires many materials that may actually have …
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Video: Involving Young People in Colorado River Conservation This blog originally appeared on the Arizona Highways Web site on May 17, 2016. It is being reprinted with permission. An advocacy group hopes its new video, filmed on the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, will help highlight the importance of getting young people involved in river ecology and conservation. What …
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The best time to think about how you’ll water your landscape is actually before you install it. That’s because a healthy and efficient landscape plan considers how much water your plants need and how best to get that water to the root systems of your plants. This week’s video brings Lisa Osborne, the Drab to Fab Backyard Rehab Contest winner, …
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Considering a winter lawn? Consider the benefits of forgoing a winter lawn this season instead. Not only do winter lawns use more water than dormant Bermuda (warm season) grass, they cost more, take more maintenance, and can weaken the Bermuda lawn. Each year, more people are embracing the monetary, time, and environmental savings of forgoing a winter lawn. A recent …
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Envision your dream landscape. Does it have a water-harvesting rain garden, rockwork and basins overflowing with flowering native plants? How about a greywater system feeding a fig tree or a humming pollinator garden? Once you’ve got the image—how do you bring it to life? Join Watershed Management Group (WMG) for the coolest educational series in Central Arizona to learn how …
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A question we often receive as water conservation professionals is, “How much water should I use?” We squirm, hem, and haw because it’s not a simple answer! Each household and yard is unique. Comparing utility bills with your neighbor is not the most accurate way to gauge if you are using the right amount of water. To solve this dilemma, …
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I have a confession to make – I have a love-hate relationship with information technology. In the era of the “smart” meter, the “smart” home, and the “smart” device, there are times that I have trouble keeping up with its relentless pace. However, what I notice about my personal use of “Information Technology” is its reflection of my life – …
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Arizona’s legacy of carefully managing its water supplies over the years isn’t so much about preparing for drought. Not precisely. More than anything, it has been about Arizonans taking control of their own destiny. The years devoted to planning and investing from the creation of engineering water-delivery marvels like the Salt River Project, irrigation projects in the Yuma area, and …
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The story of water in the Salt River Valley began more than a thousand years ago, with a group of people we call the Hohokam. The Hohokam lived in the Valley from approximately A.D. 450 to 1450, and constructed a complex network of canals and laterals to support their agriculture. When the first American settlers arrived more than 400 years …
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